Penlan gran fined for Scottish driving offence - even though she's never been there

Christine Quick of Panlan who recieved a traffic penatly from Glasgow Council for driving in a bus Lane. Christine has never been to Glasgow.

A SWANSEA gran has been slapped with a fine for driving in a bus lane in Glasgow — despite never having been to Scotland.

Christine Quick, from Penlan, said she was shocked to open a letter this week demanding she pay £60 within the month, after her car was alleged to have been caught on a CCTV camera being driven in the Scottish city.

But her surprise turned to confusion when she realised it had been sent from north of the border, a place she had never visited in her life.

She said: "My car wouldn't even make it out of Swansea!"

Last April, Glasgow City Council launched a crackdown on motorists who delay public transport by using bus and taxi lanes, and installed CCTV cameras in 11 locations on its busiest main roads leading into the city.

Mrs Quick, who works as a cleaner in Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Gwyr, said she believed her vehicle, a black Mondeo, had been wrongly identified on behalf of Glasgow City Council by the DVLA.

A similar car was in a CCTV picture sent to her in relation to the offence, but she said the registration was unreadable.

She said: "I was upset when I first opened the letter. I thought I had done nothing wrong. I was shocked, and I started thinking where I might have accidentally driven into a bus lane.

"I went to Jersey Marine the other Sunday, and I thought it might have been there.

"But then I realised it said the offence had taken place in Glasgow.

''I have never been there in my life. Whoever it was, it was not my car."

Christine's daughter Rhiane Quick added: "I am mortified to think the DVLA has put so much stress on my mum.

''How can a ticket be issued if the car's number plate cannot be recognised in the photos? She does not deserve any stress. I think CCTV traffic cameras are just for making money.''

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: "The penalty charge has been incorrectly processed. We will cancel the penalty charge and an apology will be issued."

A DVLA spokesman said: "If a customer receives further notices or contact from the police, we advise them to follow the instructions on the correspondence received and reply to them explaining the situation, and also to alert the police."